


Lucas' Babes

by dgalerab



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Camping, Drabble Collection, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-30
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21965335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dgalerab/pseuds/dgalerab
Summary: Lucas loves Max and Mike very much and they all have soft times together.(may turn into a drabble collection because SOMEONE'S gotta float this dinghy)
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 22
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> please god someone help me make content for this ship i promise it is a good ship

“We could go camping,” Max declared. “Just the three of us.”

“Why?” Mike asked, wrinkling his nose.

“Privacy?” Max suggested, matter-of-fact, cocking her head agressively at the door to the upstairs, laden with the constant risk of Karen Wheeler desperately offering cookies in lieu of anything better to do.

“Bathrooms?” Mike said, parroting her tone.

She rolled her eyes. “There’s camp grounds with bathrooms, you priss.”

“I’m not a priss!”

“Ooh, I’m Mike Wheeler, my mother does all my laundry and I don’t know what a broiler is.”

“Oh, because you do so much cooking.”

Max huffed, caught red handed. “I can cook.”

Mike gave her a look of disbelief. “What, mac and cheese?”

“I think it’d be cool,” Lucas volunteered, reluctant to interrupt their bickering when he was thoroughly enjoying watching them, rolled onto his stomach so he could rest his chin on his hands and cross his ankles in the air.

Mike gave him a sour look, that grumpy little pout that said,  _ You always take Max’s side. _

“We can use my dad’s old tent,” Lucas said. “It’s just big enough for the three of us, and we can set a fire and make food over it.”

“Yeah, with Max’s amazing cooking skills,” Mike muttered under his breath.

“I can make  _ hot dogs,” _ Max snapped.

“It’s romantic,” Lucas offered. “Sitting by the fire at night.”

Mike’s resistance was flagging, though Max was trying to fan the flames by looking at him very smugly. Mike could never back down from any of Max’s challenges.

“We can snuggle up in sleeping bags,” Lucas wheedled. “And makeout.”

_ That _ got Mike’s attention. “And my mom wouldn’t walk in on us…”

“Exactly,” Lucas said, grinning.

**

“So you’ve never even been camping?” Mike asked.

“I’ve been!” Max protested. “Just not very much. Not a whole lot of camping in Cali.”

“No wonder you’re so into it.”

“We’ll have fun,” Lucas said, ever so slightly chiding. 

Mike gave him a petulant little huff, eyes flickering up and down Lucas’ face with a small glint of hope. Lucas sighed and put down the bag he was packing to give Mike a little kiss. Max clambered over the side of the car to kiss his cheek as well, and Mike settled.

“Alright,” Lucas said, pushing in the water bottle into his pack and zipped it up. “Let’s go.”

“You’re seriously not letting us carry anything?” Max said, raising a brow.

“You can carry something when we put up the tent,” Lucas offered.

“What do you wanna bet he’ll try to take all our bags then too?” Max muttered to Mike.

“No bet,” Mike replied. “He’s definitely going to.”

“Sorry for wanting to spoil my babies,” Lucas said.

“We have arms,” Max said. “I can carry things.”

“Oh, and I can’t?” Mike protested.

“No,” Lucas and Max said at once.

Mike crossed his arms, glowering at them.

Lucas laughed, shutting the trunk of the car and sliding the backpack on before offering his hand. Mike grumbled at him slightly, then took the offered hand. “See? It’s not so bad, baby.”

Max rolled her eyes, but pink dusted the skin under Mike’s freckles. Max thought  _ baby _ and  _ babe _ were horribly cheesy terms of endearment -  _ you sound like Elvis  _ \- but they worked on Mike every time. Lucas grinned at him, thrilled by his success, then offered Max his other hand.

They started down the nearest hiking trail, clambering across the rocks. It wasn’t easy walking with both hands clasped tightly by Max or Mike, but they also couldn’t keep it up for long before getting distracted. “Look!” Max cried, hopping off the path to find a patch of daisies. She bent down to pick a handful and give it to Lucas to pick some more.

“What is that for?” Mike sighed, holding Lucas’ hand all the more tightly now that he had it to himself. Max handed him a handful as well.

“We can go,” she said, strolling along beside them as she started weaving the daisies together into a crown. 

Lucas let her fiddle, squeezing Mike’s hand as he held on stubbornly.

Max slipped the crown over her head and started making another. Once it was done, she teasingly wiggled it over Lucas’ head. “No,” he said. “Nu-uh.”

“Oh, come on,” Max said. “Your masculinity will be fine, Stalker.”

“I’m not wearing it!” Lucas protested.

“Alright,  _ fine, _ you dumb baby,” Max said, grinning. “Mike?”

“What?” Mike blurted. “No way!”

“Oh, hush, you’re only protesting because Lucas thinks it’s stupid,” Max sighed. “Come on, bend down.”

“No!”

“It’ll be nice!” Max protested. “Come on, we’ll send a picture to El.”

“It’ll look better on you,” Lucas offered.

Mike pouted at him, but carefully bent down and let Max put the crown over his head.

“It’s pretty,” Lucas promised him.

Mike huffed a dramatic sigh.

“Alright, you’re not escaping it either,” Max insisted. “At least let me put some flowers in your bandana!”

“No!” Lucas whined.

“Yes,” Max chided. “You’ll look nice too!”

“Yeah,” Mike said, and Lucas relented. 

It wasn’t like he’d be able to put up must resistance to Mike and Max at the same time. He let Max arrange a few daisies into his bandana.

“Happy?” he asked.

She grinned. “Yes.”

“It’s cute,” Mike said, tickling the daisy behind Lucas’ ear.

Lucas glared at him, but he couldn’t exactly protest when Max and Mike were both smiling at him, faces framed with beautiful flowers. 

“Alright, we should take a picture for El,” Max said, jerking Lucas back a little so she could dig through the pack for their camera. “C’mon.” She pulled Lucas close and Lucas pulled Mike down and she snapped a picture of all three of them. 

“Okay, okay,” Lucas said, reaching for the camera. “A few of you two. She’ll like that.”

Mike sighed and slipped out from under his arm and joined Max, who put an arm around him. Lucas snapped a picture of them, then met Max’s eyes. She smirked, winking, and he readied the camera for her to pull Mike down and kiss his cheek. Lucas took a picture of that too, hoping it would show the light blush on his cheeks.

“Can we go now?” Mike muttered.

Lucas chuckled and kissed his cheek as well as he handed the camera back to Max. “Pretty.”

“I’m not pretty,” Mike protested, blushing harder.

“So pretty,” Max purred, bumping her head against Mike’s shoulder.

“I’m not pretty!” Mike whined.

“Yes you are!” Lucas teased, pressing his hands to Mike’s back as they started walking again.

“Guys aren’t pretty!”

Max groaned. “Says who?”

“Says…!” Mike blurted, before trailing off, defeated.

“You can be pretty,” Lucas laughed.

“If you want,” Max added, her voice softer, eyes gently informing Mike that this was an out.

“Fine,” Mike said, sounding grumpy but blushing hard.

“And you can be pretty if you want too,” Max told Lucas.

“No way,” Lucas declared. “I’m handsome.”

“Oooh, alright, Mr. Handsome,” she laughed.

“Rugged,” Mike offered.

“Yeah,” Lucas said.

“Okay, Big Guy,” Max laughed. “C’mon, I hear the river down that way.”

She started down the hill down a small trail, and Lucas reached out to help her down. She took his hand and let him ease her down as he found a place to plant himself midway and reach up for Mike as well.

Mike started down on his own, but after two steps he slid, and Lucas lurched forward to catch him by the waist and pull him in, their noses touching as Lucas helped him down.

Mike had always been clumsy, but it had never occurred to Lucas how cute it was until it had become a  _ thing _ to keep catching him. A  _ boyfriend _ thing. It was something he could never really do with Max, always steady on her feet, but it was kind of thrilling to wrap his hands around Mike’s thin waist and hold him up, like those old action movies where the hero swept the heroine off her feet, except  _ onto _ his feet.

“Alright, Casanova, let Mike try to use his feet again,” Max teased.

“Hm, I don’t know,” Lucas said, pulling Mike in playfully. “I don’t know that he’s ready.”

“Oh, screw you,” Mike said, trying to pull away halfheartedly but yielding when Lucas’ arms stayed steady and he pulled Mike in for a happily little kiss.

“Point taken,” Max said softly, coming up behind Mike and kissing him on the cheek, then kissing Lucas over his shoulder.

“Screw both of you,” Mike said, with all the confidence of someone who knew he had zero chance of getting out of their grip if they didn’t let him.

“It’s cute,” Lucas echoed, kissing his nose and letting him go.

Max nuzzled his shoulder, then followed suit, skipping down the rocks until she reached the water. Lucas followed her, holding out a hand for Mike to use as support. Max paused, sitting down and slipping off her shoes and rolling up her pants.

She held her shoes in one hand and balanced across the rocks under the burbling water.

Mike used Lucas’ shoulder as support so he could sit and do the same, and Lucas simply slipped off his shoes standing.

Max grinned, extending her hand for Mike. “C’mon, I think there’s a waterfall upstream.”

Mike slipped and skittered across the wet rocks until he was close enough to grab onto her arm with both hands, but she didn’t point it out, only giving him the slightest teasing look and letting him hold onto her as they walked.

Lucas followed after them, stabilizing each of them whenever they stumbled.

They found the waterfall a nice walk later, a large platform stretching out under it a few feet up. Lucas clambered up first, then helped the other two up after him.

He looked around, taking in the rushing water around them, then grinned at Max and waggled his eyebrows. “C’mon, not even you are too cool for this,” he joked. 

“Okay,” she admitted, chuckling. “It is pretty romantic.”

“Yeah it is,” he said, trying to be smooth. From the look she gave him, he was halfway successful at least, because she was smirking at him, but she also leaned in for a kiss, her hand cool on his cheek.

Mike hovered. He didn’t mean to hover, Lucas suspected, but there was only so much someone as tall and eager as him could do to prevent hovering.

Max gracefully slipped aside, slipping under Lucas’ arm and giving Mike permission to take his turn.

He had to duck down to avoid getting soaked by the waterfall as he moved in, but he kissed Lucas gladly, like it had been  _ ages. _

“So sweet,” Max whispered, leaning in to kiss Mike’s cheek while Lucas continued to press his lips to the other cheek.

“Okay,” Lucas said, stepping away from them to put down the pack. “Let’s hang out here for a bit.”

He found a rock to sit against, then held out his arms.

Max gave him a wry smile, but for once she didn’t protest or tease, just flopped down under one arm and relaxed against his chest. Mike, as always, nestled happily under the other.

“Yeah, there we go,” Lucas said, very pleased to have them both in his arms. “This is nice, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” Mike admitted.

“Told you,” Max said.

Mike sighed at her very forcefully.

**

“This seems like way too much effort for a fire,” Max said.

“It’ll make a good, sturdy fire,” Lucas replied, putting the finishing touches on a little tent made of wood that housed their kindling.

Max shrugged and tightened the ropes supporting the tentpoles to their actual tent, while Mike held the entire tent steady, leaning over it awkwardly.

Lucas struck a match against the box, but it refused to light. “Oh, come on,” he muttered, trying again. This one lit, but it went out before lighting the kindling.

“Did you get good kindling?” Mike asked.

“Yes, Mike, I got good kindling,” Lucas sighed. “These matches are way too old. My parents have had them for like… a century.”

“What is it?” Mike asked, prodding at the little ball of kindling.

“Dry grass, Mike,” Lucas said.

“Maybe we should find some pine needles,” Mike offered.

“It’s not the kindling, Mike.”

“Have you guys ever actually set a fire?” Max asked.

“Yes,” Lucas said.

“Sort of,” Mike added. “But we’ve done our research.”

“Your research?” Max asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Yes,” Mike said, blushing. “Research.”

“What research?” she asked, bemused.

Mike and Lucas exchanged looks. There was no way to come out of this looking cool. “So after we read the Hobbit together,” Lucas said. Max grinned, delighted, “we might have gotten really into researching survival skills in the library.”

“In case we ever had to go on an adventure,” Mike added.

“Well,” Max said. “You guys did go on adventures.”

“They didn’t involve a whole lot of camping, though,” Lucas said glumly.

“Shame we didn’t prepare for being trapped in a dark lab with a bunch of demodogs,” Mike said.

Max brushed his hair out of his face and gazed at him softly. “Yeah,” she said. “But you both managed.”

“And you,” Mike said. “You’ve been really cool too.”

“And I didn’t even need to go to the library for it,” Max teased, then grabbed the matches out of Lucas’ hand. She struck a match and lit the kindling on the first try.

“Lucky,” Lucas muttered.

She grinned at him. “I guess the fire just likes me better.”

Lucas rolled his eyes. “Yeah, that’s probably it.”

She laughed. “I’ll get the hot dogs,” she said.

“Thanks,” Lucas said, watching the fire build slowly, leaning in to blow on it when it looked too close to going out.

Mike watched it light quietly, and once the fire seemed to be going well enough, Lucas put out his arm to invite Mike to rest his head on Lucas’ thigh. Mike complied, letting Lucas rake his fingers through his hair as he dozed off.

“He’s cute when sleeping,” Max remarked.

“He’s always cute,” Lucas said.

“Oh, is he?” Max challenged.

“So are you,” Lucas said, smiling as she sat down with the skewers and started lining up hot dogs.

They’d brought paper plates, and they collected the cooked pack of hot dogs before waking Mike in order to eat them.

After dinner, Mike returned to his napping on Lucas, while Lucas and Max watched the fire die down. 

“This is so peaceful,” Max said. “You think Mike’ll be down to do this again sometime?”

Lucas looked down at Mike, peacefully asleep on Lucas’ lap. “I think we can talk him into it.”

Max chuckled quietly, returning to watch the fire until it was down to only embers.

Lucas shook Mike awake, gently ushering him into the tent. They’d laid down their sleeping bags side by side, and it was cozy to clamber inside and onto the soft, padded bags.

“Okay,” Lucas said. “I think someone was promised makeouts.”

“Sure, I’ll take some makeouts,” Max said casually.

Lucas grinned willing to play this game with her until Mike had enough. He pulled her in, sitting back on his heels so she could come closer, perched on her knees, and wrap her arms around him. Her lips were soft and tasted like a combination of marshmallow and her ever so slightly waxy chapstick. Her hair fell around them like the waterfall from earlier, fingers brushing against his hair.

Mike whined, though he’d held out longer than Lucas had thought.

He pouted at them, propped up on his elbows.

“I think you might have forgotten someone,” Max teased.

“I never forget about either of my babes,” Lucas announced, leaving one hand on Max’s shoulder while he clambered over Mike.

“Stop calling us your babes,” Max whined.

“You love it,” Lucas said.

“I think it sounds cool,” Mike said.

Max sighed playfully. “You would.” She flopped down beside Mike, taking his arm in her hands and wrapping herself around it. She yawned, nuzzling against his shoulder as he laid back, letting Lucas press in closer.

Lucas propped himself up over Mike, sliding his hand across the crook of his jaw. “Hey baby,” he purred.

Mike went breathless, and Max stiffled a giggle.

Lucas loved both reactions.

He pressed his lips against Mike’s, Mike’s long fingers resting against Lucas’ hip on his free hand. Mike’s lips were as soft as Max’s, though he didn’t taste quite as sweet. He certainly liked kissing more than Max did, meeting Lucas’ every movement with an eager little push of his own lips, asking wordlessly for more.

They kissed until Max interrupted them with another soft yawn, and Mike pulled away. “More in the morning?” he asked hopefully.

“Yeah,” Lucas promised.

“Okay,” Mike murmured, letting Lucas lay down beside him and squirming until his back was against Lucas’ chest. Max scooted up, wrapping herself around Mike much the same way Lucas did from the front so they both enclosed him between them, Lucas’ hand resting in Max’s hair and hers somewhere on his shoulder.

“This was a pretty good idea,” Mike admitted.

“Thank you,” Max said.

“My babes agreeing,” Lucas said, pretending to be choked up with emotion.

“Stoooop,” Max groaned, and even Mike nudged at him in annoyance.

Lucas laughed. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight,” Mike mumbled into Max’s shoudler.

“‘Night,” Max breathed somewhere into Mike’s hair.

Lucas smiled to himself, listening to them both breathing softly, and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does anyone! ever! just! think about! how! mike was trapped in a dark building with his possessed best friend and then he watched countless people be torn to shreds before his eyes and no one??? ever??? did anything about it??? anyway this drabble doesn't deal with that but it does further my "please god someone just take care of mike wheeler for a change" agenda

“A firefighter? A  _ firefighter?!” _

“Okay,  _ what _ do you have against firefighters?” Lucas asked, taking a deep breath and giving Mike the floor.

Mike made an angry noise at him. “You have a college degree!”

“Yeah,” Lucas said.

“And you’re just gonna spend your life… what, just… carrying around hoses?” Mike asked, pacing back and forth.

“Uh, saving lives,” Lucas said.

“Come on, Lucas!” Mike snapped. “You’re too  _ smart _ for this.”

“Oh,  _ I’m  _ too smart to, what, perform physical labor?” Lucas asked, sarcastic.

Mike squinted at him. “What?”

“You  _ know _ I’m not the first of my family to go to college, right?”

“Oh my god, Lucas, this isn’t a race thing!” Mike snapped.

“You didn’t freak out when El started making jewelry for a living,” Lucas pointed out.

“El is functionally illiterate!” Mike shouted, before catching himself. “Which is, like, absolutely not her fault and I still need to send her a book list for this month, but…”

Lucas raised an eyebrow at him.

“I didn’t like it when Max didn’t go to college either,” Mike protested.

“Only until she had a job!” Lucas protested. “If I finished the academy, I  _ would _ have a job!”

“But…!” Mike said, holding up his hands like he really wanted to make his point. “You are  _ smart. _ You have a degree in electrical engineering, you could be saving lives by designing… I don’t know, a whole different kind of wiring.”

“You actually have no idea what an electrical engineer does, do you?” Lucas asked.

Mike opened his mouth, then closed it, the  _ that’s not the point _ boiling under his skin.

“You’re an engineer too, you should know better,” Lucas jabbed.

_ “Lucas,” _ Mike said. “Why did you even go through all those classes if you’re not even going to use them?”

“First of all, I like finishing things,” Lucas said. “Second of all, I can always go back to engineering. Third of all, I’m  _ not _ the only firefighter with a college degree. Fourth of all, there is some experience from electrical engineering I can apply here. Fifth of all--”

“Lucas,” Mike said, terse, like Lucas was the one not following the logic of this conversation. “There are plenty of people who could be a firefighter, but there are fewer  _ educated--” _

“Again, don’t like how you say  _ educated _ like it’s something--”

“It’s not a race thing!” Mike snapped. “It’s not…! It’s just…! You have the intelligence, you have the degree, why would you not get--”

“What, a white-collar job?” Lucas asked. “Because those are the only jobs worth doing?”

Mike floundered at him angrily. “I--! You--! God, you’re--!”

Lucas narrowed his eyes at him. “Mike, do you  _ like _ your job?”

Mike gaped at him, clearly furious at the change in topics. “Now you’re just deflecting!”

“Mike,” Lucas pressed.

Mike shrugged. “It’s a job.”

Lucas sighed, cocking his head gently to point out the situation here.

“No, this is not about me,” Mike tried.

“It sounds like it’s about you,” Lucas said.

“It’s not!”

“It  _ sounds _ like you’re maybe projecting the ideas you’ve absorbed about the job you’re  _ supposed _ to be doing onto me,” Lucas asked.

“Sounds like  _ you’re  _ talking to Dustin too much,” Mike retorted.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Lucas asked. “He’s a psych major! He’s in grad school!”

Mike groaned. “I’m not  _ projecting.” _

“C’mon,” Lucas asked. “What would you wanna do, if you didn’t have to be a smart kid.”

“My job is fine,” Mike replied. 

Lucas crossed his arms.

“It’s  _ fine,” _ Mike snapped.

“Mike,” Lucas pressed.

“Look, I’m not like Will,” Mike said. “I don’t secretly wish I’d gone to art school, and I’m not like Nancy either. I don’t have anything I’m passionate about. My job is  _ fine.” _

“It’s boring,” Lucas said.

“It’s a good job!” Mike protested. “And after everything we went through as kids, everything is boring!”

Lucas raised a brow. “You know, it’s okay if you want something that’s a little more exciting.”

“I  _ don’t,” _ Mike said vehemently, and that was the first thing he’d said tonight that sounded absolutely true. “I don’t even like the idea of you in burning buildings all day, but you’re… I mean, you’re actually good at shit.”

Lucas smiled. “Is that what this is about? You worried about me?”

“No,” Mike said, too quickly. “I mean, yes, but that’s not what this is about! It’s about…” He huffed a loud sigh. “I don’t know what it’s about. But I…”

Lucas gave him a smug look. He’d made his point.

“Okay,  _ fine,” _ Mike snapped. “So I’m just doing the job I’m expected because there’s nothing I  _ want _ and I’m going to end up like my dad!”

“Whoa, whoa, okay, I think you skipped a little step there,” Lucas said, holding his arms out. Mike hesitantly took the invitation. “You’re not gonna end up like your dad. What does that even mean?”

“You know my parents,” Mike muttered. “They just do the things they’re supposed to and then they expect everyone else to do the same and now that’s what I’m doing, and I’m gonna end up… like, as interesting and useful as a potato, like my dad.”

“No way,” Lucas said. “Your dad doesn’t care much about anything except the TV. You care about  _ us.” _

Mike took a deep breath, settling against Lucas. “But I don’t want anything from life. I’m just… I just want to get by.”

“You don’t want anything from a  _ job,”  _ Lucas offered, stroking his hair. “Whatever, right?”

“But all of you know what you want to do,” Mike muttered.

“Not at all,” Lucas said. “El’s still trying new things, right? She has no idea what she wants to do, she just hit a sweet spot with her jewelry and she likes helping the Byers out with the money. That’s hardly passion. And Will only applied to art school because Jonathan promised he’d like it, and then he did.”

“That’s not because Will doesn’t know what he wants,” Mike muttered. “He’s just nervous. And El’s still seeing the world after being locked up all her childhood, she’s not exactly lacking for passion.”

“Mike,” Lucas chuckled, turning his face up to look at Lucas with a gentle bump of the chin. “You’re plenty passionate. You can’t go a single conversation with Max without yelling at each other,  _ especially _ when you both agree.”

“And?” Mike asked, pouting.

“And,” Lucas said, pressing a kiss to Mike’s lips. Mike pressed back, “that’s passion. Passion for people. For us.”

Mike sighed, nestling his head in Lucas’ shoulder.

The door clicked, and Max shuffled inside, throwing her jacket down on the counter. She spent a moment looking for something to eat before she caught sight of Mike. “What’s with you?” she asked.

Mike sniffed at her haughtily.

“Please tell Mike he’s more passionate than his dad,” Lucas said.

She laughed so hard she nearly had to sit down. “Mike,” she said. “Are you fucking serious?”

“I got mad about the firefighter academy,” Mike said.

“Right, because you’re a snob,” she said, waving for him to continue.

“I’m not--!” Mike started, before catching himself again. Lucas chuckled to himself, playing with Mike’s hair and nuzzling at it slightly. “Fine, okay, whatever. But Lucas pointed out maybe I was… sort of pushing my own feelings onto him.”

“Right, because you’re basically stumbling through the career path your guidance counselors have been telling you about since high school,” Max said. “And you freak out when people you think are smart deviate because then they’re wasting their talent for conformity.”

“Max,” Lucas warned.

“It’s the truth!” Max complained.

“She’s right,” Mike said glumly.

“Wow, you really are feeling bad today,” Max said, pulling up a chair and resting her hand on his arm. “Mike. I’m kidding. I mean, that is what you’re doing, but it doesn’t matter. You’re not like your dad. You care about the people in your life a  _ ton. _ You’re just not a career guy.”

Mike huffed at her. “Well, I have to do something for a living.”

“Why?” Max asked. “You have  _ two _ partners. You wouldn’t even need to work.”

“I could support you,” Lucas said.

“You’re way too excited about that,” Max teased. “And  _ we _ could support you.”

Mike chewed at his lip. “Maybe after we’ve saved up enough for a down payment on a house?”

“Yeah,” Max said, petting his head. “It’d take you a while to learn chores, but I think you’d make a great househusband.”

“So I’m more like my mom, is what you’re saying?” Mike asked, unimpressed.

“You definitely take after her more,” Max said. “But no, that’s not what I meant. Your mom’s as suited to be a housewife as Nancy.”

They thought for a moment about Nancy quitting her job to be a housewife, then shuddered at the inevitable chaos. 

“True,” Mike admitted. “But then…”

“You’re not your parents,” Lucas said. 

“But you might need some rest,” Max said. “I’ve talked about this to Dustin, and…”

“God, you too?” Mike whined. “You know he’s not a shrink, right?”

“No, he’s just a smart guy,” Max said, giving him a pointed look. “And we agreed you might need some  _ rest. _ You’ve seen some shit, Wheeler.”

“So have you,” Mike muttered.

Max gave him a scolding look. “This is not a debate.”

Lucas kissed the top of his head. “Let us take care of you, Mike.”

Mike huffed a sigh. “Once we’ve got ten thousand in the bank, I’ll think about it.”

“That’s a start,” Max said, kissing his forehead.

“But Lucas also has to promise to take care of himself,” Mike mumbled into Lucas’ shoulder. “You have to stay safe.”

“I will,” Lucas promised. “I fought the mindflayer as a kid, I’m not gonna go down in a housefire.”

“You better not!” Max warned, kissing his cheek and settling onto his shoulder to lean her own face into his neck.

“You fly planes all day!” Lucas protested. “You don’t see me worrying!”

“I worry,” Mike said.

“Oh, pssh,” Max said. “You know how hard it is to crash a plane that size? I make my students land with the engines off every other day and they always end up shocked at how easy it is.”

Mike slung an arm around her shoulders. “I can’t lose either of you, you know that, right?”

“We know,” Lucas said.

“Wow, you sound so much like your dad,” Max teased.

“Shut up,” Mike muttered.

“I think I heard him say something like that to his Laz-Y-Boy.”

Mike laughed at that, like only Max could make him laugh, and Lucas held him a little tighter, and Max shifted so she had one arm around Mike, the other hanging onto Lucas like she was trying to coordinate their efforts to hold Mike together. Mike nestled against her arm and curled into Lucas, content, and closed his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't think of a job mike would enjoy and so i decided his full time job should be loving and being loved and that's final


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hopper is alive and eventually made it back and married joyce and now they all live together in indianapolis, also karen divorced ted, no i do not take constructive criticism

Max raced down the hallways as calmly as she could, slipping inside the room. “What did you do?” she asked, aiming for teasing.

Mike cracked an eye open, letting out a sharp breath of relief upon seeing her and reaching out a hand for her shakily. He was green around the edges and didn’t look remotely interested in returning the jab. “I tripped,” he said.

“Oh, jeez, you are a mess,” Max said, sitting down on the edge of the hospital bed and squeezing his hand. “Did they give you anything for the pain?”

Mike nodded queasily. “They said it might take a while to kick in,” he said. He looked at Max, eyes watery. “Lucas?”

“Still at work,” Max said. Mike’s face screwed up in a desperate attempt to hide his devastation. “I know. I know, he’ll be here as soon as he can, and in the meantime I’m here, okay?”

“Okay,” Mike said, squeezing her hand. “I tripped down the porch stairs. I had to sit in the driveway waving people down to call an ambulance.”

Max hissed.

“Couldn’t get up,” Mike muttered. “They still have to do an X-ray but my knee is probably broken.”

“You’re going to be  _ fine,” _ Max assured him. “I can’t believe you injured yourself on the  _ porch stairs.” _

Mike huffed a laugh, and she put a hand on his cheek, thumbing under his watery eyes as comfortingly as she could.

“Mr. Wheeler? We’ll be taking you to the X-ray room now,” a nurse informed them.

Mike looked at Max, who patted his cheek and smiled at him. “If it makes you feel any better, while you’re doing that, I’ll probably be on the phone with your parents.”

Mike laughed. “Good luck.”

**

“But Ted did offer to cover any medical expenses, so…” Max murmured.

“I guess we can’t complain,” Lucas said. “That money will go a long way.”

“Doesn’t mean he couldn’t pick up the phone every so often,” Max asked. “Karen offered to pitch in too, and she’s a divorcee with a call center job. And she also had  _ follow-up questions.” _

Lucas shook his head, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, I know. But Ted’s always been like that.”

Max sighed. “I know.”

“You can come see Mr. Wheeler now,” a nurse informed them, and Lucas was already on his feet.

He ducked into the room, smiling wide. “There he is!”

Mike blinked at him owlishly. “I think the drugs are kicking in.”

“Yeah? You feel good?” Lucas laughed.

“Not really,” Mike said. “Dizzy.” He looked up at Lucas. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Yeah, I’m here baby,” Lucas said softly. “I’ve got you.”

“I’m gonna need surgery,” Mike said. “For the knee.”

“You’re a ridiculous man,” Max said, finding a spot to sit next to him that let Lucas still lean over Mike protectively. “You trip and you need knee surgery? Jeez.”

“He has long legs!” Lucas protested. “He can’t help it!”

“Yeah,” Mike said, taking Lucas’ teasing at completely face value. “I can’t help it!”

Lucas laughed, patting Mike’s head, and Max joined in, glad that Mike seemed to be relaxed.

**

“Holy hell, you are so tall,” Max said, trying to hold Mike up while Lucas positioned himself in the back seat and held his arms out.

“Oh!” Mike exclaimed. “Your hair!” He awkwardly patted his hands through her long hair. “So bright.”

“Yeah, watch your… Mike, watch your head,” she said, one arm around his waist and the other down his thigh, slowly easing him downwards. “Mike!”

He blinked at her owlishly, not understanding.

“I’ve got him,” Lucas told her, shifting a little so he could put his hand on the outer rim of the car door to keep Mike’s head from hitting it, slowly pulling him into the back seat.

“You’re here too!” Mike slurred. “Max, Lucas is here too!”

“Yeah, baby,” Lucas said, grinning.

“God, you’re  _ so _ high,” Max said, shaking her head in amusement. “I’ll drive, you keep him from falling over.”

“Hi Lucas,” Mike said, giggling. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Lucas said, brushing Mike’s hair back as he pulled Mike into his arms and carefully buckled a seatbelt around his middle.

“Your face,” Mike informed him, “is very nice.”

“Thank you,” Lucas laughed.

“I’m serious,” Mike said as Max snorted and started the car. “You are super cool and smart and I like your face.” He noticed Max’s hair falling over the back of the seat and reached for it.

“No, nono,” Lucas said, prying his hand away. “Not while she’s driving.”

“But it’s pretty,” Mike complained.

“Not while she’s driving,” Lucas repeated. “You can touch my hair, how about that?”

Mike brightened, patting Lucas’ head. “Your hair is squishy,” he determined brightly, then stopped and slid his hand down Lucas’ face. “And your face is very nice. Very… very…”

“Handsome?” Max teased.

“Yeah!” Mike said happily. “Very good. With a lot of character.” He patted Lucas’ cheek. “You have a kind face. A clever face. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Lucas said. “But please get some sleep.” 

Mike looked at him with wide eyes. Max glanced in the rearview mirror as they paused at a stop sign. “I think he wants a kiss.” She rolled back into motion, and Lucas shifted his grip on Mike so he could lean down and kiss Mike.

Mike pressed sloppily into the kiss, wheedling more out of Lucas until he drew away, easing Mike onto his shoulder. “There we go, baby,” Lucas murmured. “Close your eyes. Get some rest.” He pushed a few stray hairs out of Mike’s face and behind his ears.

Mike sighed and closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Lucas’ collarbone and drifting off.

**

“Get the door, get the…” Lucas said hurriedly, stumbling through the door as Max pulled it out of his way so he could dip down and slide Mike and his long legs through the doorway. “Phew. Okay. He’s still asleep.”

“Put him in bed, I’ll get the pillows,” Max whispered, watching for Mike’s injured leg as Lucas maneuvered through the hall and into the bedroom, holding tightly around his shoulders and under his thighs.

Lucas eased him into their bed and helped Max settle a pillow under Mike’s leg.

He’d broken his knee  _ tripping down the stairs, _ which was going to be funny after the effects of the surgery finally wore off, but for now it was exhausting and still a tinged with the adrenaline of getting the call that Mike was in the hospital.

“Rock paper scissors, quick,” Max said, and Lucas whirled around with a paper to Max’s rock. She groaned. “Fine, you stay with him, I’ll start calling people.”

Lucas grinned at her. “Sucks to be you.”

Max poked her tongue out at him. “I’m calling El first.”

“Nancy,” Lucas said.

“Do you want to do it?” Max asked.

“No,” Lucas sighed, settling into bed next to Mike, resting on his elbow so his arm was over Mike’s head. Mike mumbled in his sleep and moved closer. Max dialed the number and flopped into bed on Mike’s other side while it rang.

“Hi, Hop,” she said after a moment. “Are El and Will home?” A pause. “Yeah, I just wanted to let them know Mike’s surgery went fine. Yeah, he’s sleeping it off.” She glanced at Lucas, rolling her eyes. “Hey, Will. Yeah, he’s fine, sleeping like a baby. Tell El to call whenever she gets home, we’re just sitting in bed with him. You too. Bye.”

“Was Hop super worried?” Lucas laughed.

“Oh, definitely,” Max said as she hung up. “Probably more worried than El and Will, poor guy.”

Lucas snorted. “Nancy next. She’ll handle Karen, and Ted won’t stay on the phone for more than two minutes anyway, so you’re basically done.”

“Okay, okay, jeez,” Max said, dialing. “Besides, Dustin’s planning on coming over later to help out.”

“Doesn’t he have midterms?” Lucas said.

Max shook her head, putting a finger up to quiet him. “Hey Nancy. We’re home from the hospital.”

**

Mike woke sluggishly, making a small noise of complaint.

“Hey, baby,” Lucas said. “How’s your leg?”

“It  _ hurts,” _ Mike said, with all the petulancy he could muster. But as whiny as he sounded, Lucas could see how pale he’d gotten and the sheen of sweat on his forehead. Mike’s tolerance for pain had never been very good in the first place, and now, Lucas thought, he had a metal rod in his knee.

“I know, babe,” Lucas said. “Should I get the pills?”

Mike whined at him, gripping his shirt.

“I got it,” Max said, planting a small kiss on Mike’s forehead. “Just hang in there, hun.”

Lucas rolled closer, rubbing Mike’s side comfortingly. “We’ve got you, baby, just breathe.”

Mike curled up against him, breaths pained, only looking up when Max returned with a glass of water, a box of crackers and one of the pain meds that Mike had been prescribed. 

“Here you go,” she said, slipping it into his mouth. “Drink up, and try to eat something.” 

He drained the glass easily, but the crackers took a bit more effort. Max switched places with Lucas and stroked Mike’s sweaty hair while Lucas wheedled him into eating while Mike tried to whine his way out of it to no avail.

Once the crackers were all done, Lucas settled Mike’s head on his shoulder. Max nestled her face into Mike’s back. “Poor baby,” she mumbled into his shirt, rubbing his arm. “You’ll feel better soon.”

“I’m glad you guys are here,” Mike said.

“Yeah,” Lucas said. “We’ll take care of you.”

Mike nodded. “I know.”

Lucas kissed his forehead. “I’ve always got you.”

Mike looked up at him, eyes wide and earnest. “Yeah!”

Max laughed into his back. “Sooo cute,” she whispered, drawing a grin out of Lucas.

“And obviously I can protect you from anything,” Lucas said.

“Obviously,” Mike agreed.

Max smacked Lucas on the shoulder for messing with Mike when he was so out of it, making Lucas giggle. Lucas kissed Mike on the forehead again, then gave him a peck on the lips. Mike smiled at him sluggishly and dropped his face into Lucas’ collarbone.

Lucas stroked his hair lazily until he finally chuckled. “He’s fast asleep,” he whispered.

“Good,” Max said. “I’m gonna take a nap too.” She shifted up so she was spooning Mike.

“Take a nap,” Lucas said. “I’ve got you too.”

She snorted. “Dork.” Then, a moment later, she added, softly, “I know.”

Lucas smiled, and settled back, letting the warmth of having them both with him, safe and sound, wash over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> every time anyone talks to me about this fic or this ship i get a literal endorphin high, i love them SO MUCH

**Author's Note:**

> i'm dgalerab on tumblr and i just need someone to talk to me about this ship


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